This is the first installment of a weekly-running tutorial on different ways you can create art for your LaunchMyWear collection. In this one, we’ll explore how to make a print from a photograph!

Today’s tutorial will require Photoshop. Adobe Illustrator is also used for an additional step, but not necessary. Some basic knowledge of Photoshop would come in handy, but fear not if you’re a beginner. There are lots of free resources out there.

Because life if absurd and I’m obsessed with my pets, Andre and Shanté, they will be the source of my pattern today!

Awww

1. Open desired photo in Photoshop. Click on the quick selection tool, located to the left in your toolbar, and select the area you want to feature in your print. You can use the magic wand or lasso to select the area, as well.

2. Create a second blank document in Photoshop.

3. Copy and paste the selected area (ctrl-c, ctrl-v) and use the cursor to drag the layer to its own new Photoshop document.

Double the Andre, double the fun!

4. Use the clone stamp tool or eraser to soften edges. To select the area you want to clone, hold down the alt key while clicking on desired area. Then, click again where you want to apply the cloned selection. If you’re new to this feature, take a few minutes to play around with it. It’s incredibly intuitive once you get the hang of it, but requires a little getting used to. In this case, I’m selecting the white background and applying it to the edges of Andre’s fur, to soften the appearance.

This is getting weird.

5. If you want a cartoon-y effect, I recommend turning up the saturation, which will help keep the photo from getting washed out during the process of making it look more illustrated later in AI. To add saturation, go to “Image” on your menu bar, then “Adjustments” in the dropdown. There, you’ll see an option for “Hue/Saturation”. Turn the saturation dial up and press ok. You can also turn up the exposure under “adjustments”, which I have done here.

6. To create the cartoon-y effect mentioned above, save your saturated document and open in Adobe Illustrator. Go to “Object” in the top menu bar and select “Artboards”, followed by “Fit to Artwork Bounds”, which will be necessary for saving/exporting the file later on. From here, you can click on your image and an “Image Trace” box should appear. Use this to change the preset to 16 colors.

You can also use the pen tool, located on your toolbar to the left, to trace your photo and create an outline.

7. Return to Photoshop after exporting your art from Adobe Illustrator (don’t forget to check the “Use Artboards” box when exporting!) . From here, create a background color with the paint bucket tool.

8. Enlarge your canvas size and copy and paste your photo repeatedly until you begin to create a print. Here, I added Shanté to the mix in the same way that I did with Andre earlier.

9. Keep going until you develop the desired size and look.

10. There you have it! After re-sizing to 20MB or less and saving, your artwork is ready to be uploaded to LaunchMyWear. You can also size it into a square and use the tile option when uploading to LaunchMyWear.com Your print is now on its way to being turned into an incredible one-of-a-kind item. You’re not going to find this scarf anywhere else, that’s for sure!

Have fun! And, as always, tweet you designs or questions @LaunchMyWear.

If you caught any glimpses of Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring 2016 ready-to-wear collection, you’ve probably already caught the buzz. After watching the absolutely dazzling array of cheerful, globally-inspired prints that walked the runway, I wanted to pre-order one of everything the models were wearing. Unfortunately, that isn’t in my budget this year, as I am not Beyoncé 😦

D&G took us around the world, with loud, in-your-face color and embellishments that were streamlined in classic, feminine silhouettes. Just look at these photos from the show!

This recipe of adventurous prints and color in ladylike cuts made for an absolutely delightful show that, of course, inspired me to create my own look on my LaunchMyWear:

Clearly inspired by D&G’s lemon print here

Marc Jacobs’ print game was strong, too. His collection showcased a lineup of models with tons of pumped-up, old Hollywood glamour, and even more New York Dolls-style attitude. Marc Jacobs is one of my favorite designers, so, of course I had to pay homage to his incredible Spring ready-to-wear line, as well.

My take on his plaid/floral numbers. I ❤ you, Marc!

Another gorgeous collection that stood out for me was Diane Von Furstenberg’s. I know floral prints in a spring collection isn’t a new concept, but Diane Von Furstenberg does it so darn well. This woman knows prints like she knows wrap dresses. So, this Spring ready-to-wear trifecta wouldn’t be complete without her.

Love her mix of prints!

Other labels that brought it for S/S 2016 included:

Gucci (Spring 2016 Ready-To-Wear)

Jonathan Saunders (S/S16 Ready-To-Wear)

Temperley London (Spring 2016 Ready-To-Wear)

And Clover Canyon (Spring & Resort 2016)

Because MyWear® is the perfect platform to create custom clothes with your own custom prints, every runway show can provide inspiration for your own designs, without the Beyoncé bank account! What are your favorite looks from S/S16 collections? I’d love to see your takes on them! Be sure to tweet your designs at us @LaunchMyWear